Hearing instruments are electronic devices that provide signal processing functions such as noise reduction, amplification, and tone control. In many hearing assistance devices these and other functions can be programmably varied to fit the requirements of individual users.
Hearing assistance devices, including hearing aids, for use in the ear, in the ear canal, completely in the canal, and behind the ear, have been developed to ameliorate the effects of hearing losses in individuals. Hearing deficiencies can range from deafness to hearing losses where the individual has impairment responding to different frequencies of sound or to being able to differentiate sounds occurring simultaneously. The hearing assistance device in its most elementary form usually provides for auditory correction through the amplification and filtering of sound provided in the environment with the intent that the individual hears better than without the amplification.
It is common that an individual's hearing loss is not uniform over the entire frequency spectrum of audible sound. An individual's hearing loss may be greater at higher frequency ranges than at lower frequencies. Recognizing these differentiations in hearing loss considerations between individuals, hearing health professionals typically make measurements that will indicate the type of correction or assistance that will be the most beneficial to improve that individual's hearing capability. A variety of measurements may be taken to determine the extent of an individual's hearing impairment. With these measurements, programmable parameters for fitting a hearing are determined. With modern hearing assistance devices having a multitude of adjustments and parameters such as multiple channels with different gains over different frequencies, a large number of parameters need to be adjusted to properly program hearing assistance devices.
There is a need in the art for improved systems for adjusting parameters for hearing assistance devices.